Bowl Season Midway ReCap

So far…..alright. This year’s bowl season has given us some good football to watch, but the best is still yet to come. We have seen some major performances, and some major busts – but that’s to be expected. What’s not expected at this point in the season are heart attacks, electrical closets, and coaching changes of major programs with 10-wins and nation-wide prominence. The situations with Urban Meyer and Mike Leach have taken center stage over the past week, and ultimately having the effect of overshadowing the bowl games already played.

One of those games being overshadowed was played last night, The Humanitarian Bowl (who’d a thunk?!). In likely what will be one of the best games this bowl season, WR Freddie Barnes had a record-breaking performance against the Idaho Vandals, who pulled out a W in the waning seconds of the game. After tying the score at 35 a piece, Bowling Green got the ball back with 1:42 remaining in the game. Barnes then hauled in a 51-yard pass to take the lead with 32 seconds remaining. Idaho, who had one of the best turnarounds since last season (second only to SMU), was then able to drive 66 yards in 24 seconds for a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with only :04 remaining. This lifted the Vandals over BGSU to a final score of 42-43, and only their second bowl victory in school history. Like I said: who’d a thunk?

As for Freddie Barnes, someone I have been high on all season, he set the FBS record for catches in a season, beating the previous record of 143 by 12. Barnes logged 17 receptions for 219 yard and 3TDs, and ended the season with a record 155 catches, over 1,700 yards, and 19 scores. With stats that sound like they should be attributed to a RB, he is obviously one of the premier WRs in the league. Listed at only 6ft. tall, Barnes has a unique vision and uncanny ability to ensure the ball ends up in his hands – and displayed these skills by putting on a 2009 season that will not soon be forgotten. I sure am glad I was able to have Barnes on my fantasy squad for his senior season, and any NFL team would be lucky to grab him next year.

Another player I was lucky to have for most of the season was Bernard Pierce. The Temple RB game was hot out of the gates in the EagleBank Bowl, rushing for 53 yards and a touchdown in the first half against UCLA. With a 21-10 lead at halftime, the Owls hoped to finish off the Bruins, but were unable to as UCLA put up 20 unanswered points in the second half. Much of Temple’s inability to score late in the game has to be attributed to the fact that Pierce injured his shoulder in the second quarter, essentially eliminating Temple’s ground game. Who knows what would have happened, had fantasy-stud Bernard Pierce got to finish the game?

In other games, we saw the Nebraska defense led by Ndamukong Suh completely dominate the Arizona Wildcats in a 33-0 victory in the Holiday Bowl. SMU went to their first bowl game in 25 years, and destroyed Nevada 45-10 in the Hawaii Bowl. BYU defeated the Rogers Brothers and Oregon State 44-20 in Las Vegas. Utah took care of Cal 37-27 in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Additionally, Wisconsin got a win against Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, FL. Having just played the Florida high school state championships on the same field, Miami was plagues by poor field conditions, and a solid Wisconsin game plan that held the Hurricanes to a mere 61 yards rushing. The field conditions are a concern for the CapitalOne Bowl that will be played tomorrow afternoon between LSU and Penn State – so we will have to wait and see how that all plays out.

Even though we are in the middle of the Bowl season, and have plenty of games to be played today, tomorrow, and up until Jan. 7, the major stories in college football have surrounded Urban Meyer pulling a Brett Favre, and Mike Leach pulling a Bob Knight. The reports about the Gators’ coach and his health have been vague and confusing, with UF first telling the nation that he only suffered from dehydration, but now there have been stories that the 45 year old sustained at least one, if not multiple heart attacks this season. On Christmas Day, he told his family he was going to announce his retirement, but recanted only days later. This puts the UF offseason in a state of upheaval, but likely will not affect their Sugar Bowl preparations. But on the other hand, the Mike Leach firing that took place yesterday could very well throw a wrench in things for the Red Raiders, and their prep for Michigan State and the Alamo Bowl on Saturday. Now, all I know about the whole situation is what ESPN and other news outlets have given us, but locking a student athlete – who was diagnosed with a concussion – in an equipment room and later electrical closet is in no way acceptable. Not to mention the sheer stupidity of doing it to a player whose father is one of the premier football analysts in the nation. Not too bright Coach Leach, not too bright at all.

Anyway, we still have a lot of football to watch in the next 8 days. Get ready for some great games. Some close ones, some blowouts, and hopefully some exciting upsets. Happy New Year to all!

Remaining Bowl Games (all times EST):
TODAY:
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl – NOW - ESPN
Houston v. Air Force

Brut Sun Bowl – 2pm – CBS
Oklahoma v. Stanford

Texas Bowl – 3:30 – ESPN
Navy v. Missouri

Insight Bowl – 6pm – NFL Network
Minnesota v. Iowa State

Chick-Fil-A Bowl – 7:30pm – ESPN
Virginia Tech v. Tennessee

TOMORROW:
Outback Bowl – 11am – ESPN
Northwestern v. Auburn

CapitalOne Bowl – 1pm – ABC
Penn State v. Louisiana State

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl – 1pm – CBS
Florida State v. West Virginia

Rose Bowl by Citi – 4:30pm – ABC
Ohio State v. Oregon

Allstate Sugar Bowl – 8:30pm – FOX
Cincinnati v. Florida

JAN 2:
International Bowl – 12pm – ESPN2
South Florida v. Northern Illinois

PapaJohns.com Bowl – 2pm – ESPN
South Carolina v. UConn

AT&T Cotton Bowl – 2pm – FOX
Oklahoma State v. Ole Miss

AutoZone Liberty Bowl – 5:30pm – ESPN
Arkansas v. East Carolina

Valero Alamo Bowl – 9pm – ESPN
Michigan State v. Texas Tech

JAN 4:
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – 8pm – FOX
Boise State v. TCU

JAN 5:
FedEx Orange Bowl – 8pm – FOX
Iowa v. Georgia Tech

JAN 6:
GMAC Bowl – 7pm – ESPN
Central Michigan v. Troy

JAN 7:
Citi BCS Championship Game – 8pm – ABC
Texas v. Alabama

MLB Free Agency Winners and Losers

Have you ever gotten to an airport only to find that your flight was delayed?  All there is to do is sit around and wait.  That's how I feel about Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, Johnny Damon, and the rest of MLB's unsigned free agents.  While Holliday and Bay are the class of MLB's free agent hitters this year, both appear to be content to remain teamless as we ring in the new year.  While they continue to sulk and wonder why they aren't getting offers for more money, I'm going to consider some early winners and losers of free agency.


Winner: Boston Red Sox.  The signing of John Lackey (pictured) gives Boston four guys that can be a number one starter on many teams.  Pitching wins championships and Boston is in position to have starting rotation depth be a strength next season.  The Mike Cameron and Marco Scutaro signings were a nice bonus, too.


Loser: Johnny Damon.  Damon wanted to come back to the Yankees but his price tag never came down.  Note to Damon and other veterans: the era of big, bloated contracts is over.  Maybe Bay and Holliday should read that line again.

Winner: New York Yankees.  It's hard to imagine that the Yankees' biggest splash in free agency is Nick Johnson, but if he stays healthy, he's a great #2 hitter that will get on base for guys like A-Rod and Mark Teixeira.  Yes, I am really resisting talking about the two big trades they made.

Winner: Washington Nationals.  They overpaid for Pudge, but when you're a team that contends for the #1 draft pick each year, that needs to happen in order to turn things around.  Pudge provides a veteran presence for the Nats your pitchers (read: Stephen Strasburg).  The signings of Matt Capps and Jason Marquis were even bigger for Washington.  When a team gets so accustomed to losing, I think it's important to bring in some new blood to try to change the attitude.  This is precisely what Washington has done and while these guys probably won't carry the Nats to the playoffs, it's a great first step.

Loser: Houston Astros.  Three years and $15 million to Brandon Lyon?  Brandon Lyon?!  I believe that a team should never spend money like that on a middle reliever.  Even if he ends up replacing Jose Valverde as closer, he's still BRANDON LYON.

Winner: Brandon Lyon.  See above.

Defensive Corner: Playoffs Edition (Week 16)

First and foremost, Happy Holidays everyone, I hope you had a wonderful day/8 days/ time period associated with a holiday I’m unfamiliar with. I, for one, celebrated with my family in typical Griswold fashion, but that is a story neither relevant nor suitable for this time and place. Let’s just say it involved several trips to the emergency vet and a desperate search for an open gas station.

Ok, on to football. 99.9% of us are into playoffs (and yes, that’s a figure I just made up) so while at least half of us have had our dreams dashed, those of us with still viable hopes of attaining the ultimate prize of a year’s worth of bragging rights (and or cash/trophies/etc.) are entering into competition with our leagues fiercest competitors. So what does this mean? Well, when competition gets this rough 1 point can come between you and a championship, i.e. now, more than ever, the extra points scored by defenses are crucial to success.

Start
Bengals: The Bengals know how to take advantage of a bad offensive line and boy is Kansas City’s offensive line awful. The Bengals should have no problem getting to Cassel during this home game resulting in point earning sacks, fumbles and interceptions.

Saints: Although they haven’t scored over 5 points in the past three weeks, the Saints have already demonstrated just five weeks ago that they can sufficiently handle the weak Tampa Bay offense, who are on their 3rd quarterback this year and are 2-12 on the season.

49’s: Why should you start the 49’s, well they’re playing the Lions this week. Not enough? Ok, well not only is San Francisco playing the Lions, but they’re playing them at home, and the 49’s play tough at home; in the past three home games the 49’s scored 17, 17, and 24 points with the 24 points coming against the potent offense of the Cardinals.


Mehs (Start if No Better Option)
Cowboys: The Cowboys haven’t been the greatest this season, but they have already played the Redskins which gives us a good indicator of what we should expect this week. Given their past success against the Redskins, the fact that they are in contention for a playoff berth while the Redskins are surely out and that Albert Haynesworth was sent home early from practice for disciplinary problems on top of already being questionable for knee issues, the Cowboys should do well this week.


Sit:
Steelers: As a Steelers fan it pains me to say that the Steelers Defense has been an incredible disappointment this season. What’s even worse is that their collapse is seemingly due to the absence of a certain Samoan. Anyway, the Steelers’ Defense has been far too inconsistent to warrant a start during the playoffs, especially when playing the Ravens.

Jets: While strong, the Jets defense suffers at the hand of their offense. So far, Sanchez has 20 interceptions on the season, 3 occurring last week alone, one of which was returned 99 yards for a touchdown. This, paired with the fact that the Jets are facing Peyton Manning and the Colts does not bode well for the Jets Defense.

A Quick Review of Legal and Regulatory Issues in Boxing from the Past Few Weeks

   Chavez Jr. Banned in the USA?:  Undefeated junior middleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. may find himself suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for up to nine months following a positive test for Furosemide, a diuretic drug banned by the NSAC, after his bout with Troy Rowland on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight.   A formal complaint was filed against Chavez by the NSAC on December 1, 2009 and it is unknown to the author whether Team Chavez contested it within the 20 days mandated by the NSAC’s rules.  Either way, the suspension would not affect Chavez’s ability to fight in Mexico, where he is wildly popular.  Similarly, the revocation of Antonio Margarito’s license by the California State Athletic Commission earlier this year did not prevent Margarito from fighting in Mexico, where he too is wildly popular.  To date, however, Margarito has dutifully sat on the shelf and served his suspension.  Margarito will be able to reapply for a license in California early next year. 

   Minnesota Ice Nearly Iced Over Butler KO:  After initially being disqualified for knocking out Raphael Butler after the bell ending the first round of their all-Minnesota heavyweight battle on December 4, 2009, Joey (Minnesota Ice) Abell instead had a no contest placed on his record by Minnesota Combative Sports Commission.  Had the disqualification stayed on Abell’s record, he would have had 10 days to file a grievance with the MCSC.  The MCSC has a four-tiered grievance process designed to avoid such disputes from ripening into lawsuits.  After three levels of appeal involving the aggrieved boxer, his representatives, and the MCSC, the parties must submit to a binding arbitration by the American Arbitration Association.  Courts are generally hesitant to avoid to second guessing the decision rendered after a binding arbitration, as those involved generally agree beforehand that arbitration is how all disputes will be resolved…

   ABC Getting Restless with Natives of Isleta Tribe over Holm-Cisneros Fight:  Alleging that the Isleta Boxing Commission, host of the December 4, 2009 bout between female boxers Holly Holms and 11^th hour replacement Victoria Cisneros, may have violated the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 by not having Cisneros submit to a full medical examination either before or after the bout pursuant to New Mexico rules, the Association of Boxing Commissions recently demanded a copy of the tribal resolution creating the Isleta Boxing Commission, as well as a copy of the rules adopted by the IBC once it was created.  The controversy arose after Holm was left without an opponent following the last-minute withdrawal from the fight of Melissa Hernandez.  While the IBC placed an indefinite suspension on Hernandez’s record for the withdrawal, the ABC indicated in its notice to the IBC that the suspension, as well as the results of any fights on December 4, 2009 card, would not be recognized by its member commissions until it gets satisfaction in the Cisneros situation.  As to the suspension in particular, it should be noted that such a threat is fairly toothless, since the ABC’s Regulations provide only that “[a]ll medical and administrative suspensions placed on contestants by other athletic commissions will be recognized by the supervising Commission.” (emphasis added).   The use of the term “will” rather than “shall” would appear to mandate only that a given commission notes the suspension, but does not necessarily bar a boxer from fighting under their jurisdiction as a result of same…

   Lucha Maravilla, but Miserable Scoring:  It seemed as if the ghost of Arturo Gatti welcomingly reared its head on December 5, 2009 in Atlantic City, as Paul  (The Punisher) Williams and Sergio (Maravilla) Martinez, the world’s premier junior middleweights, engaged in one for the ages at Boardwalk Hall.  After 12 fantastic rounds, an argument could have been made for either a draw, or a one or two point decision for either contestant.  That is, of course, unless you were judge Pierre Benoist, who inexplicably had the bout 119-110 for Williams.  Like the scoring in Funeka-Guzman a week or two earlier, Benoist’s card infused unnecessary controversy into an exciting battle.  Since there was generally no issue with Williams being declared the winner, and no championship belt was on the line, no formal appeal of the decision was made to either any of the sanctioning bodies or the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board.  However, do not be surprised if Benoist ends up the big loser on New Jersey’s scorecard and is not seen near a big fight again any time soon.  Sometimes, even with no legal recourse, punishment can be meted out for a boxing official’s perceived, or actual, misdeeds.  For example, anyone recall seeing referee Octavio Meyran after Don King’s claim of a long count for James (Buster) Douglas after his knockout of Mike Tyson?…

   Replay, By Any Way Alert:  While it did not end up making a difference to the outcome of the December 12, 2009 rematch between top junior welterweights Paulie (Magic Man) Malignaggi and Juan (Baby Bull) Diaz, Malignaggi was credited with a questionable knockdown in the 10^th round after a cuffing right hand behind the head may or may not have caused Diaz to touch his glove to the canvas.  Illinois, like most jurisdictions, does not provide for instant replay in boxing, so in a closer fight (all three judges scored it 116-111 Malignaggi this time), things might have gotten controversial for the second time in as many fights, though perhaps it would have been Diaz launching the memorable post-fight tirade this time…

   More Iciness Over Minnesota Officiating:  Like Joey Abell earlier in the month, formerly undefeated welterweight prospect Said (The Messenger) El Harrack, now 8-1 (3 KOs), may have an opportunity to file a grievance regarding the outcome of his Shobox-televised December 18, 2009 bout with fellow prospect Lanard Lane, now 10-0 (7 KOs).  As of the date of this article’s writing, El Harrack’s team has eight more days to grieve the timing of referee Mark Nelson’s second round stoppage of the fight in favor of the aggressive Lane. Lane had already dropped El Harrack twice in the previous round.  Unlike Abell-Butler, this is simply a matter of a referee using his discretion, however poorly, rather than an issue of who heard what and when. The thought here then is, if any grievance is made, El Harrack will be unsuccessful, but perhaps Nelson may find himself on the sidelines for a moment, though perhaps not as long as Pierre Benoist finds himself on the bench after his scoring in Williams-Martinez…

   Rainmakers Among Haymakers Alert:  In the main event of the same card as Lane-El Harrack, two popular Maryland-based middleweights Fernando Guerrero and Jesse (The Beast) Nicklow engaged in an excellent bout…in Minnesota.  While it is understandable to hold such a fight where it is most amenable to being televised, this bout probably would have been a sizeable ticket seller in the Baltimore area, where each of their fan bases could have turned out in droves to support their men…

   Rigondeaux Shows He Does Not Have the Luck of the Irish: Irish boxing manager Gary Hyde recently secured a judgment against Cuban amateur legend turned undefeated bantamweight prospect Guillermo Rigondeaux over his management rights.  Hyde had signed an exclusive management agreement with Rigondeaux around the time of his ultimately unsuccessful 2007 defection from Cuba.  When he finally did defect later, Rigondeaux signed a management agreement with GSMG, Ltd and Marcus Concepcion and turned professional under their guidance. A major hurdle to this establishing Hyde’s case was whether the Florida courts would recognize the management contract, as it was not entered into under United States law.   Once the arbitrator ruled that his management contract should be recognized, however, little question appeared to remain that Hyde was entitled to enforce his contract.  Hyde will now be Rigondeaux’s manager of record until at least March 19, 2012.

      Paul Stuart Haberman, Esq. is an attorney at the New York law firm of Heidell, Pittoni, Murphy & Bach, LLP.  He is also a New York State licensed boxing manager and the Chairman of the Sports Law Committee of the New York County Lawyers Association.   He can be e-mailed at haberman.paul@gmail.com. ©

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: College Football Version

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all over the Net,
bloggers typing about football, and who is the best.
Teams received Bowl bids the committee had chosen with care,
Horns and Tide both hope they’ll win it this year.

In St. Pete, Rutgers beat up the Golden Knights,
But Wyoming took Fresno to 2 over-times.
The Mr. Clean Toilet Bowl wasn’t much fun,
But in the next couple weeks, you’ll realize it hasn’t even begun.

SMU plays Nevada, after a quarter-century drought,
Before the Canes and Badgers battle it out.
This year Pete Carrol got a large lump of coal,
Being picked for his first non-BCS bowl.

While Joe-Pa’s in Orlando, with his Nittany Lions,
LSU will be meeting him, and so will Les Miles.
West Virginia travels south, to take on Florida State,
Only one more chance left to watch Bobby, a coach who’s truly great.

Air Force fights Houston, and Navy – Mizzou,
But Arizona will have to face Ndamukong Suh.
With Toby running the ball vs. the Oklahoma Sooners,
Listen carefully or you’ll miss the “WHOOP!” coming from Boomer.

The Rose Bowl kicks-off the BCS games,
Against the Buckeyes, the Ducks hope they are not lame.
In N.O. the Gators will play coach-less Bearcats,
And Tim Tebow hopes his tears can get him past that.

Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso will lead us through,
Watching Boise take on another mid-major; TCU.
ESPN thought the Gators would be in “the Big Game,”
But Mark Ingram thought differently, and now has Heisman-fame.

Now Mark! Now Shipley! Now McElroy and Colt!
Toward the endzone and history, they all will bolt.
They’ll get in formation and pray for the ball,
Then go down the field, down the field, down the field, haul!

Who’ll win the game? Only time can tell,
But it’ll be a good one, that’s sure as hell.
Once that trophy’s been raised, and the confetti all gone,
In Texas or Bama, the Moet will flow all night long.

Come January eighth, in the year 2010,
The season will be over til next year…see ya then!

Priced Out! Why Agents are Costing Players

After the World Series was over, free agent to be Johnny Damon said that he wanted to finish his career with the Yankees.  He called them the best organization he's ever played for.  So why is that unlikely to happen?  Damon's agent is Scott Boras and Boras wanted big bucks and a multi-year deal for his free agent outfielder.  The Yankees were unwilling to acquiesce to Boras' demands (for once!) and offered Damon two years $13 million.  Boras had wanted a three or four year deal for Damon, despite the fact that Damon is going to be 36 next year.  Once it became apparent the Yankees were going to sign Nick Johnson, Damon came back to the Yankees with a counteroffer of two years $20 million.  The Yankees didn't budge.

Across the AL East, Jason Bay wants five years and close to $60 million.  Throughout the season and the beginning of the off-season, the Red Sox and Bay flirted with a contract extension to keep the left fielder in Boston.  It never happened.  The Red Sox were reluctant to commit that amount of money to Bay and found themselves a cheaper outfield option in veteran Mike Cameron.  The addition of Cameron will likely shift Jacoby Ellsbury to left field and Bay to a new home. 

The days of teams offering huge contracts to decent-if-not-pretty-good players is over.  Remember when Carlos Silva signed a four year $48 million contract?  Or when Gary Matthews, Jr. signed with the Angels for five years and $50 million?  Teams are being more cautious with long-term contracts as baseball shifts away from high priced free agents and back toward development of young talent.  It's cheaper, and in some cases you get a better player, sticking with internal options.  Is anyone going to give a 36 year old outfielder a four year contract?  Probably not, especially if there is a 20-something outfielder waiting in the wings in AAA.  There are very few players that are worth a long-term commitment for a lot of money: Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Felix Hernandez.  For everyone else, if agents are going to continue to demand ludicrous contracts, players are going to get priced out of good situations. 

Fantasy Hockey Pickups: Week 12

Welcome to Week 12 of Fantasy Hockey Pickups. The holiday season is upon us and in week 12, there are no games on Thursday and Friday in the NHL. This makes it even more important on who you want to start or bench on any given day.

Forwards

Stephen Weiss - C - (FLA): Stephen Weiss had 3G, 3A, 4PIM, 1PPP, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 17G, 16A, and 10PPP. Weiss has 33PTS in 37 games and leads the Panthers with 17G. Weiss has been playing consistent hockey all season and if available, could be a solid pickup for any team. He is available in 39% of Yahoo Leagues.

Tomas Fleischmann - LW,RW - (WAS): Tomas Fleischmann had 3G, 2PPP, 1GWG, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 14G, 8A, 10PPP, and 2GWG. Fleischmann has 22PTS in 25 games thus far this year and could be worth a look, especially for teams in deeper leagues. He is available in 65% of Yahoo Leagues.

Mason Raymond - LW - (VAN): Mason Raymond had 3G, 2A, 1PPP, 1GWG, 11SOG, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 14G, 11A, 12PPP, and 3GWG. He has passed his career point total and it's only 1/2 way through the season. Raymond has continued his strong play and if still available could give your roster a nice boost. He is available in 67% of Yahoo Leagues.

Brian Rolston - LW - (NJ): Brian Rolston had 2G, 1A, 11SOG, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 13G, 9A, 6PIM, 9PPP, 3GWG, 116SOG, and is +5. Rolston seems to be getting back on the score sheet after slumping in the first half of the season. Keep an eye on him and if he begins produce consistently, could be worth a pickup. He is available in 71% of Yahoo Leagues.

Todd Bertuzzi - LW,RW - (DET): Todd Bertuzzi had 2G, 2A, 14PIM, 19SOG, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 10G, 11A, 38PIM, and 109SOG. Bertuzzi has been on a scoring streak recently. With all the injuries in Detroit, he has found himself playing with Pavel Datsyuk and has been able to capitalize on those opportunities. Bertuzzi should be given some consideration now that he is able to provide not only PIM but also offensive numbers as well. He is available in 76% of Yahoo Leagues.

Andrei Kostitsyn - LW - (MON): Andrei Kostitsyn had 3G, 2A, 3PPP, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 9G, 12A, 6PPP, 14PIM, and is a +2. Kostitsyn continues his scoring streak from last week. He has 7G in the last 2 weeks and it looks like he's become a regular scorer for the Habs. With 2 strong weeks, Kostitsyn could be worth some consideration. He is available in 77% of Yahoo Leagues.

Ryan Callahan - RW - (NYR): Ryan Callahan had 3G, 4A, 5PPP, 1GWG, 14SOG, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 9G, 8A, 12PPP, and 32PIM. Callahan seems to be on a hot streak right now, even with the Rangers struggling on a whole as a team. With 5PPP last week, Callahan has capitalized on his recent PP opportunities and could be useful during this hot streak. He is available in 78% of Yahoo Leagues.

T.J. Oshie - C - (STL): T.J. Oshie had 2G, 1A, 1PPP, 1GWG, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 7G, 11A, 5PPP, and is a +1. Oshie has been able to show up on the score sheet on a nightly basis lately and is worth a look, especially in deeper leagues. He is available in 92% of Yahoo Leagues.

Patric Hornqvist - RW - (NSH): Patric Hornqvist had 4G, 3A, 2PIM, 1PPP, 1GWG, 12SOG, and was a +5 last week. Overall he has 10G, 8A, 2PPP, 4GWG, and is a +6. Hornqvist has been able to score in his last 3 games and also dish out some assists. Keep an eye on him and if he is able to sustain this offensive production, might be worth a pickup. He is available in 93% of Yahoo Leagues.

Defensemen

Tobias Enstrom - D - (ATL): Tobias Enstrom had 5A, 3PPP, 2PIM, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 3G, 24A, 10PPP, and is a +9. Enstrom is still racking up the assists and should be considered for any team if available. He is available in 32% of Yahoo Leagues.

Ryan Suter - D - (NSH): Ryan Suter has 3A, 1PPP, 2PIM, and was a +7 last week. Overall he has 2G, 16A, 9PPP, 20PIM, and is a +4. Suter gives you solid defensive play, which helps your +/- while also giving you the occasional offensive point. He is available in 49% of Yahoo Leagues.

Keith Yandle - D - (PHO): Keith Yandle had 1G, 3A, 2PIM, and 1PPP last week. Overall he has 5G, 12A, 31PIM, 8PPP and is a +4. Yandle can provide some offensive points as well as PIM. He is available in 78% of Yahoo Leagues.

Kurtis Foster - D - (TB): Kurtis Foster had 2G, 2A, and 2PPP last week. Overall he has 5G, 5A, 15PIM, 6PPP, and 1GWG. Foster has been given increased time on the PP and has been able to cash in. Foster is someone to keep and eye on and if he continues to produce may be worth a spot on your blue line. He is available in 95% of Yahoo Leagues.

Goalies

Jonas Gustavsson - G - (TOR): Jonas Gustavsson had 1W, 0.69GAA, .976SV%, and 1SO. After coming back from injury, Gustavsson was able to secure a shut-out for the Leafs last week. Gustavsson is a good option for a team looking for a 3rd goalie for their squad. He is available in 77% of Yahoo Leagues.

Notable Injuries

Nick Foligno - LW - (OTT): Lower Body - DTD as of 12/16. Impact: It is unclear how long he will be out.

Jason Spezza - C - (OTT): Right Knee - IR as of 12/15. Impact: Out 6-8 weeks.

Jarret Stoll - C - (LA): Groin - DTD as of 12/15. Impact: He may be kept out this week, keep him on your bench until next week.

Jordin Tootoo - RW - (NSH): Broken Foot - IR as of 12/14. Impact: Out 3-4 weeks.

Dennis Wideman - D - (BOS): Undisclosed Injury - DTD as of 12/15. Impact: It is unclear when he will return.

Good Luck on your match-ups this week and have a nice holiday weekend!

The Florida Panthers Approach the Halfway Mark on the Brink of the Playoffs

The Florida Panthers are currently in the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference and the 3rd spot in the Southeast division. Here we go again in Sunrise, Florida.

Welcome to another addition of Florida Panthers Hockey, where consistent failure to advance to the post-season has the potential to once again live on in the 2009-10 campaign, only this time however, the excuses may begin to run out, adding pressure to first year General Manager Randy Sexton.

Regardless of the off-ice shenanigans with upper-management that causes more drama than the ever so popular Frank Sinatra Theatre inside the Bank Atlantic Center, this Florida Panther hockey club is a unique one...they are right there. They are competing for a playoff berth, one that has been extinct in South Florida since before the lockout. They are sitting right there in the 8th spot, but they are holding on for dear life with the New York Rangers just 2 points behind them at #9.

With fewer than five games to go until the midway point, the Florida Panthers will need to begin to find ways to play 60 minutes of hockey, the brand of hockey that creates chances to not only grab 2 points, but to secure them a spot in this spring's quest for Lord Stanley. They will need to make it difficult on the opposition, and not hand out free passes to the win column. It’s plain and simple, and Head Coach Peter DeBoer undoubtedly would agree with me. In fact, judging by this year’s roster, with just a few holes to shore up, the right attitude and approach will go along way for this hockey club.

Starting with Center Nathan Horton who leads the Cats with 35 points in 37 contests; his on-ice awareness, preparation and leadership has improved immensely and is a huge reason for the first half success of this hockey team.

First round selection in the 2001 entry draft, Stephen Weiss, is not too far behind with 33 points in 37 games, and in most scouts eyes took a little longer than expected to come out of the gates for the Florida Panthers. It’s better late then never for the 5’11 speedster who currently has 17 goals on the season. The success and bright future for both Horton and Weiss are evident, but the importance of the contracts locked into place until year’s 2012 and 2013, will have a major effect on the long-term performance of the organization (especially in the salary cap era). Horton and Weiss may lead this team, but are not alone.

Forwards Michael Frolik and Rostislav Olesz have a combined 39 points in 37 games played, and don't appear to be taking a step back anytime soon. Both forwards have the speed, skill, and determination necessary to fit the mold of a top six guy in Florida. Frolik ranks 41st in the NHL with 101 shots on net, a stat that has to surely please Peter DeBoer.

David Booth, who took a vicious hit from Flyers forward and captain Mike Richards, is on the shelf with a concussion and hasn't laced up the skates since October 24th. Rest-assured one thing however, a healthy David Booth pays dividends all over the board for the Florida Panthers, as his stock is on the rise. He's also locked up to a reasonable long-term contract.

Journeyman Center Steven Reinprecht has fit in quite well with this younger looking Panther squad adding 11 goals and 28 helpers in 37 games for the Cats, and seems to have brought not only leadership to this hockey club, but an energy boost as well.

From a blueline standpoint, veteran Captain Brian McCabe, Keith Ballard and newcomer Jordan Leopold are tremendous leaders on defense for the Panthers. The Panthers 1st round selection in the 2009 entry draft was Russian Defensemen Dmitry Kulikov who checks in at 6'1 183. The Panthers coaching staff inserted him into the lineup on opening night, and so far so good for the talented young defenseman. He has 3 goals 9 assists, good for 12 points. His biggest assets are clearly his defensive first mindset, his ability to carry the puck into the offensive zone, and his strong shot from the point.

Many thought the departure of franchise defenseman Jay Bouwmeester last spring would push this team into a full rebuild mode, but the rearguards mentioned above have filled in nicely. Compare this to the Anaheim Ducks, who suffered a similar loss when Chris Pronger was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Ducks are currently #13 in the Western Conference and haven't found a way to replace the grittiness and huge minutes Pronger took with him.

With what many would argue is a clear cut #1 goaltender as a backup to Tomas Vokoun, Scott Clemmensen's addition gives the panthers security between the pipes and much needed flexibility. Vokoun's 10-10-7 record with a goals against average of 2.63, is another indication of inconsistency. This year though, they have a backup plan in Clemmensen who has 5 victories thus far for Florida, and gives their goalkeeping a glimor of hope.

The positives throughout this lineup are promising for the Florida Panthers and their fan base. Yet while the pluses are there throughout, the weaknesses are still recognizable amongst Randy Sexton and his staff.

The Florida Panthers are right there in the 8th spot, a spot all too familiar based on past disappointments. Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis, and Los Angeles are always in the conversation when talking about young teams with a very bright future. Florida rarely gets that kind of recognition, despite finding ways to beat the elite of the Eastern Conference.

But they must still seek upgrades when possible. They must do whatever it takes to fill holes in areas of this current lineup. They need to captivate a market that's still trying to keep one leg off the bandwagon. They must put the finishing touches on a team that's surprisingly not too far from competing past mid-April. If Randy Sexton can accomplish just that in his rookie season as General Manager, he might be looked upon not only as a successor, but someone who finally get's the big picture in Sunrise, Florida.

Above the Rim: Coming Attractions

I recently had the pleasure of attending the High School Basketball showdown between #1 Findlay Prep (Las Vegas) and #5 (or #7 or #13 depending on the ranker) Northland (Columbus). The matchup featured some of the best high school basketball prospects in the country including Ohio State bound Jared Sullinger (6’8” and 260 lbs. according to Rivals.com) of Northland and future Texas Longhorn Tristan Thompson (6’9” and 240 lbs.) of Findlay in the post and an exciting point guard matchup between Northland’s Trey Burke (Penn State in 2011) and Findlay’s Cory Joseph (uncommitted, but considered the 3^rd best point guard in the country). The game also featured Rivals top 100 players Godwin Okonji, Jabari Brown, Nick Johnson, and Winston Shepard of Findlay. Northland’s other Ohio State commit, JD Weatherspoon did not play with an injured ankle, however sophomore Jalen Robinson (West Virginia commit) stepped up big to play some great defense in the post.

Going into the game, I was expecting a high scoring shoot out featuring Northland’s talented OSU commits and Burke challenging the high scoring attack of Findlay Prep (just under 100 ppg coming in). However, Northland’s suffocating defense kept Findlay on its heels early with Sullinger and Robinson both locking down the paint and Burke harassing Joseph on the perimeter. At the half, Northland had opened a 29-15 lead. That’s right; Findlay Prep, who was averaging 96 points per game, was held to just 15 in the first half.

In the second half, Findlay got hot from the outside and used an aggressive full court press to force a few turnovers and convert them into easy buckets to get back into the game. The score was 39-35 heading into the fourth. With the teams trading the lead down the stretch, both teams went to their go to guys. Northland was feeding Sullinger in the post nearly every time down, playing a two man game with Burke, and Findlay was leaning on Thompson and Joseph. With under a minute left, Burke beat Joseph on the perimeter and dumped it off to sophomore Kechaun Lewis who converted the layup after a nice backdoor cut, but the referees waived off the basket because of a blocking foul on Findlay before the pass. With a one point lead, Burke missed the first half of a one-and-one, his only mistake of the game, giving the ball back to Findlay. After Findlay scored with ten seconds to go, Sullinger received the inbounds pass and dribbled up the sideline, being bumped by Thompson the whole way. With four seconds left, Sullinger got the blocking call on Thompson and converted both free throws to give Northland a one point win, 53-52.

The victory was impressive for Northland in many ways. Not only was Findlay the #1 team in the nation, but they had a 45 game winning streak, an all-time record of 75-1, and were held to 52 points for the game despite averaging 96 on the season.

Individually, there were a lot of impressive players on both sides that should be making names for themselves in college in the near future and possibly the NBA.

• Jared Sullinger showed why he is considered one of the best players in the country. He finished with 32 points and 17 rebounds, and one monster block, to lead Northland, but his most impressive contributions were his perfect night from the free throw line (10-10) and his clutch performance down the stretch to put Northland on his back and help them keep pace with Findlay. His 17 rebounds were also huge in limiting Findlay to one shot per possession most of the time.


• Tristan Thompson showed that he is a top post player as well. He finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks and was the only player with the strength to try to stop Sullinger in the post. If Thompson, who fouled out when he fouled Sullinger with 4 seconds left, would have stayed out of foul trouble early, he may have been more aggressive with Sullinger down the stretch which could have made the matchup even more exciting.


• Trey Burke made a case for himself being considered a top point guard in the class of 2011. Not only did he show an amazing handle with the ball and good court vision, but he also scored 10 points to go with 7 assists. He also hit 4 of 5 free throws. Most importantly, he did not turn the ball over at all and held the high scoring Joseph to just 8 points.


• Corey Joseph did not get going scoring the ball, but showed his value in other aspects of the game. Joseph still scored 8 points to go with 4 assists, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal and was a big part of the full court press that got Findlay back into the game in the third quarter. Like Burke, he has a great handle and only turned the ball over once.


• Nick Johnson and Jabari Brown quietly scored 14 and 10 for Findlay, respectively. When a game features as many top players as this one, it is easy to fly under the radar a little, and Johnson and Brown were victimized by this on Thursday. Both played solid games but were overshadowed. Johnson and Brown, both juniors, were averaging 14 and 17, respectively.


• Finally, the Northland trio of sophomores Kechaun Lewis, Jalen Robinson, and Devon Scott, while scoring only 3, 2, and 2 points on a combined 3-5 shooting, were the unsung heroes of the game. These three provided lock down defense from start to finish and committed only one turnover combined to help Northland maintain possession and control of the game. Defensively, Lewis was solid on Findlay’s wings and played a big part in limiting their perimeter game while Robinson (3 blocks) and Scott contested every shot in the post. While their stat lines were not impressive, these players were the keys for Northland in the one point victory as they stepped up and made plays on the defensive end repeatedly.

Overall, Sullinger provided one of the best high school performances I have ever seen, probably better than when I saw LeBron James go for 40+ against Zanesville in 2003. While LeBron put up a near triple-double and 40 points in three quarters, it was also against Zanesville who was not ranked in the state, let alone the country. Sullinger put up 32 and 17 against the #1 team in the country that was loaded with 5-star recruits. Not to be outdone, Burke, Joseph, and Thompson all showed that they will be college starters when their turn comes around. Findlay’s Johnson and Brown showed potential and they should be the leaders of Findlay next season when Thompson and Joseph graduate. Finally, Northland’s sophomores Lewis, Robinson, and Scott showed heart, determination, and athleticism and should have Northland and central Ohio excited for the next few years as they finish their high school careers. All three have a chance to play college basketball when they graduate.

NCAA Coaching Carousel: Who's Filling the Gaps?

While in the interim between the regular and Bowl seasons, the annual “Coaching Carousel” begins to spin. This year is no different, and we have already seen a slue of newcomers, many of which are filling holes that were vacated as a result of dramatic departures.

Probably the most notable is the resignation of living-legend Bobby Bowden. Although it was Bowden who announced his retirement, you must not have been paying attention if you don’t believe he was forced out. Since Mark Richt, took the head coaching position at Georgia following the 2000 season, things have been shaky for Bowden and the Seminoles. Bowden tapped his son, Jeff, to take over the Offensive Coordinator position, and that ended with the Boosters buying out the younger Bowden’s contract. But that was long after students all but revolted, at one point creating a website that accepted donations to give to the school that took Jeff off their hands (oh so affectionately named "firejeffbowden.com"). Jimbo Fisher was hired to replace Bowden in 2006, and now will replace his father in early 2010. Following a 6-6 regular season, with rumors of discord amongst the coaches, many thought it was time for Bobby to hand the reigns over to Jimbo. Bowden was given an option to stay for one more year, but relinquish much of the control over the team to Fisher. He declined their offer, and was essentially forced out. But that was an easy head coaching position to fill, because FSU would have owed Fisher $5million had they not named him head coach by January, 2011.

On the other hand, filling the void left by Charlie Weis at Notre Dame wasn’t so easy. Much like those at FSU, the Irish Boosters and fans were less than pleased with a 6-6 regular season, after going 7-6 in 2008, and 3-9 in 2007. With the firing of Weis came many rumors of Urban Meyer, Jon Gruden, and Tony Dungy, with the most attention going to the possibility of either Bob Stoops or Jim Harbaugh taking the job. Notre Dame ended up going with Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly – and current Bearcat players blasted him in the media for it. Needless to say, with Golden Tate and Jimmy Clausen leaving early for the NFL, Kelly will have a lot of work to do.

Speaking of work, Turner Gill has a bunch of it if he wants to create a football dynasty, as he promised the Kansas faithful during a press conference Monday. Gill is taking over for Mark Mangino following his forced resignation/buyout. There have been many reports of impropriety by Mangino when dealing with his student-athletes, but none of which sounded to be as bad as what Bobby Knight seemed to have done both at Indiana and Texas Tech. Either way, this was another situation that was surrounded by drama, giving Buffalo’s head coach an opportunity to play with the big boys. The hiring of Gill also is notable for the fact that he is African-American. It is another sign that schools are making a conscious effort to interview minority coaches, and in this case, hire one.

Other examples of such efforts can be seen in Virginia (hired Richmond HC, Mike London), Western Kentucky (hired Stanford RB coach, Willie Taggart), and Memphis (hired LSU RB coach, Larry Porter). But the most notable might be in Louisville, who hired Florida DC Charlie Strong. After beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant for UF in 1983, Strong became the first African-American coordinator in SEC history when he was hired as the DC for South Carolina in ’99. When Urban Meyer took over following the 2004 season, Strong was the only member of Ron Zook’s staff retained. January of this year, he was vocal about his beliefs that his race played a part in the fact that he hadn’t yet been offered a head coaching position. He no longer has to worry about that.

Overall, out of the 14 coaching vacancies following the 2009 season 9 have been filled; 5 by African-Americans. Looks like some progress.

But that leaves 6 spots yet to be filled, and we will have to wait and see how that all pans out. Some of the more notable rumors include(d):

-Marshall: FSU O-Line coach, Rick Trickett (staying put in Tallahassee), and Central Michigan HC Butch Jones (hired by Cincinnati on Wednesday).

-San Jose State: UCLA OC, Norm Chow to San Jose State (Chow shot that one down, quickly). Alabama assistant, Jim McElwain reported to have turned down an offer on Monday.

-Buffalo: Cincinnati OC Jeff Quinn (Quinn is coaching the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl), Boise State OC Bryan Harsin and Yale HC Tom Williams.

-Cincinnati: OC Jeff Quinn, East Carolina HC Skip Holtz, Temple HC Al Golden (withdrew Tuesday morning), and Central Michigan HC Butch Jones (interviewed Tuesday; hired Wednesday).

-UNLV: Former TCU, Alabama, and Texas A&M coach Dennis Fanchione, and Jacksonville Jaguars OC Dirk Koetter.

-Louisiana-Monroe: UNLV OC Todd Berry is reported on Tuesday to have accepted the position.

The Bowls start on Monday. Be sure to fill out your online Pick ‘Em entries!

Roy Halladay Headed to Phillies

It was a very wild day in baseball yesterday as big names were on the move.  The Red Sox signed John Lackey to bolster their rotation, the Angels signed World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, and two Cy Young Award winners were involved in a three team trade.

The trade is the big news, so let's evaluate it for all teams involved.  Roy Halladay has been headed somewhere for almost a year now and made it clear to the Blue Jays that he wouldn't accept a trade (he has a no-trade clause) after spring training began.  Along with Halladay, the Phillies will get a few prospects.  What the Phillies give up is nothing short of a haul.  They will be sending Cliff Lee - arguably their best pitcher in 2009 - to the Mariners and their top two prospects (pitcher Kyle Drabek and outfielder Michael Taylor) to the Blue Jays.  The Jays will also get a catching prospect from Philadelphia. 

Blue Jays - All the Blue Jays ever wanted was top tier prospects that are Major League ready in exchange for the face of their franchise.  Drabek was at High-A ball and AA last year while Taylor split time between AA and AAA.  Catching prospect Travis D'Arnaud was in A ball last year, but is only 20 years old.  Some Blue Jay fans will wonder why Toronto didn't trade Halladay for Boston's collection of prospects last July, but but sending him to the National League, where they won't see him often, benefits the Blue Jays and hurts their AL East rivals.  

Mariners - They trade their top two pitching prospects, according to Baseball America and get Cliff Lee, a Cy Young award winner with one year left on his contract.  This just in: The Mariners are going for it this year.  With a potent one-two punch in Lee and Felix Hernandez and with the Angels losing Lackey, Seattle feels like they can win the division now.  They better, because the cost-conscious Mariners probably won't re-sign Lee (but will happily take the two draft picks when he signs elsewhere) after his contract is up at the end of the year.

Phillies - Roy Halladay has finished in the top 5 in AL Cy Young voting five times, including each of the last four years.  Clearly, he's in the conversation for the best pitcher in baseball. The thing is, though, over the last couple of years, so is Cliff Lee.  How much are the Phillies really improving by swapping Lee for Halladay?  In addition, the Phillies have gutted their farm system by trading seven of their top 10 prospects of 2009 (according to Baseball America) for two pitchers, one of which isn't even on the team anymore.  With their core of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins just a few years from free agency, the Phillies are feeling pressure to win now and are mortgaging their future on it.

Fantasy Hockey Pickups: Week 11

Welcome to Week 11 of Fantasy Hockey Pickups. For those of you in head-to-head leagues, the second half of the regular season has started and you only have 10 more weeks to either make your move or prevent another team from taking your playoff spot. Recently a lot of rookies have been showing up on the score sheet and if you were able to grab them early in the year, you are definitely reaping the benefits now. Here are some suggestions that you may want to consider if you need to pick someone up.

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec – C – (MON): Tomas Plekanec had 6A, 3PPP, 2PIM, 9SOG, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 6G, 26A, and 11PPP. He currently leads the Canadiens with 33pts. He is a good option for those of you in need of assists, as he will provide consistent points on a nightly basis. He is available in 44% of Yahoo Leagues.

Kyle Okposo – RW – (NYI): Kyle Okposo had 6A, 5PPP, and 11SOG last week. Overall he has 22 pts, 14PPP, and 100SOG. Okposo is currently playing on a line with John Tavares which may not give you many goals. But he will dish off those passes to Tavares, who will certainly finish the play off and allow you to cash in on the assists. He is available in 67% of Yahoo Leagues.

Mason Raymond – LW – (VAN): Mason Raymond had 2G, 1A, 6PIM, and 2PPP last week. Overall he has 11G, 9A, 18PIM, and 11PPP. Raymond has already tied his goal scoring total from last year and will surpass his points total of 23 as well. Raymond sees a lot of time on the PP and cashes in on just about every opportunity. He is available in 75% of Yahoo Leagues.

Niclas Bergfors – RW – (NJ): Niclas Bergfors had 3G, 1A, 3PPP, 1GWG, and 13SOG last week. Overall he has 11G, 11A, 11PPP, and 3GWG. Bergfors has really picked it up and is only second in rookie goal scoring to John Tavares. Bergfors would be a solid option in any league and doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. He is available in 76% of Yahoo Leagues.

Matt Stajan – C – (TOR): Matt Stajan had 3G, 3A, 1GWG, 12SOG, and was a +5 last week. Overall he has 11G, 14A , and 8PPP. After a bad start to the season, Stajan has really picked it up since being placed on a line with Phil Kessel. In the 18 games he’s played with Kessel, he’s had 18 points and is worth consideration while on this streak. He is available in 83% of Yahoo Leagues.

Chris Stewart – RW – (COL): Chris Stewart had 3G, 2A, 2PPP, 1GWG, 15SOG, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 7G, 14A, 5PPP, 36PIM, and 3GWG. Stewart has surpassed his point total from last year and is on pace to score 40+ points this year. He is currently playing on the top line with Paul Statsny and Wojtek Wolski, which will definitely help keep up his production. He is available in 84% of Yahoo Leagues.

Andrei Kostitsyn – LW – (MON): Andrei Kostitsyn had 4G, 1A, 1PPP, 2PIM, 11SOG, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 6G, 10A, and 14PIM. Kostitsyn has been able to score 4 goals in his last 4 games and seems to be turning around from his early season slump. Keep an eye on him and if he continues to produce at this pace, would be worth considering, especially in deeper leagues. He is available in 85% of Yahoo Leagues.

Gilbert Brule – C – (EDM): Gilbert Brule had 2G, 2A, 6PIM, and was a +5 last week. Overall he has 9G, 12A, and 2GWG. Brule has become a consistent contributor to the Oilers this season and could possibly score over 40 points this year. He is definitely worth a look and consideration, especially in deeper leagues. He is available in 93% of Yahoo Leagues.

Dan Sexton – RW – (ANH): Dan Sexton had 4G, 1A, 2PPP, 14SOG, and was a +6 last week. Sexton was a recent call up and has 5 points in his first 5 games. Keep an eye on him for the time being and if he is able to keep this up on a struggling Ducks team, he may see more ice time and be worth a pick-up. He is available in 97% of Yahoo Leagues.

Defensemen

Ian White – D – (TOR): Ian White had 1G, 2A, 4PIM, 1PPP, and was a +5 last week. Overall he has 5G, 12A, 29PIM, and 4PPP. He looks to be on a pace to score 40 points this season which is pretty good for a defensemen. He is worth a look in any league and should be considered if available. He is available in 52% of Yahoo Leagues.

Roman Hamrlik – D – (MON): Roman Hamrlik had 1G, 3A, 3PPP, and 2PIM last week. Overall he has 5G, 9A, and 5PPP. Hamrlik has been known to score 30 points a season, and is on pace to match that again this year. He is available in 79% of Yahoo Leagues.

Marc-Andre Bergeron – D – (MON): Marc-Andre Bergeron had 2G, 3A, 4PPP, 2PIM, and 1GWG last week. Overall he has 15PTS, 9PPP, and 3GWG. Bergeron is on a good production streak now and with 3 GWG so far this year, provides the big goals when it counts. He was injured in Satruday’s game and it is not known the extent of the injury, but if he’s ok, would be a great option to have on your blue-line. He is available in 80% of Yahoo Leagues.

Tyler Myers – D – (BUF): Tyler Myers had 2A, 1PPP, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 3G, 14A 10PIM, 5PPP, and is a +8 in his first season. Myers has flown under the radar in most leagues and is worth a look because he has provided consistent number thus far in the year. He is available in 81% of Yahoo Leagues.

Goalies

Jimmy Howard – G – (DET): Over the past month, Jimmy Howard has 6W, 2.27GAA, and a .918SV%. He has effectively taken the starting job away from Chris Osgood, who has struggled while Howard has been able to capitalize on the increased playing time. If he keeps this up, Howard would be worth a spot on your team . He is available in 55% of Yahoo Leagues.

Vesa Toskala – G – (TOR): Vesa Toskala had 3W, 2.78GAA, and a .913SV% last week. Toskala is currently on a hot streak and has won 3 out of his last 4 starts. With Jonas Gustavsson expected to still be out until late this week, there is no one to take the starts away from him. If you are in need of a goalie this week, Toskala could be a good option while riding this hot streak. He is available in 74% of Yahoo Leagues.

Notable Injuries

Marc-Andre Bergeron - D - (MTL): Facial Laceration - DTD as of 12/12. Impact: It is unclear the severity of the injury at this time. You may want to use other options until further notice.

Dan Boyle - D - (SJ): Undisclosed Injury - DTD as of 12/12. Impact: It doesn't look serious and should be ready for the next game.

Erik Cole - LW - (CAR): Upper Body - IR as of 12/10. Impact: He will be out 2-3 weeks.

Danny Cleary - RW - (DET): Shoulder - DTD as of 12/10. Impact: He looks to be out 4 weeks.

Alexander Edler - D - (VAN): Upper Body - DTD as of 12/9. Impact: Will return at the earliest the end of this week so bench him this week.

Ray Emery - G - (PHI): Abdomen - IR as of 12/8. Impact: He will be out 6 weeks.

Milan Hejduk - RW - (COL): Knee - DTD as of 12/13. Impact: Doesn't look like he'll miss any more time and should be back for this week.

Patrick Kane - RW - (CHI): Upper Body - DTD as of 12/13. Impact: Doesn't look serious and should be ready for next game.

Ryan Malone - LW - (TB): Lower Body - DTD as of 12/11. Impact: It is unclear the extent of the injury at this time, but it looks like he may not miss any time.

Steven Stamkos - C - (TB): Upper Body - DTD as of 12/11. Impact: It is unclear the extent of the injury at this time but may miss at least 1 game.

Semyon Varlamov - G - (WAS): Lower Body - IR as of 12/9. Impact: Will return at the earliest the end of this week so look elsewhere.

Good Luck with your match-ups this week!

SportsJudge Fantasy Hockey Challenge 1st Half Update: Experts

The 2009-10 SportsJudge Fantasy Hockey Challenge has reached the midway point of the regular season. To no surprise, most of our experts are still bunched together tightly in the standings, while one has jumped out to a very impressive (albeit unconventional) early lead. This week we'll take a look at the guests of SportsJudge, how their teams have fared so far, and what the future may hold.

*To view each team, click on the small roster image to the right

Prince of Wales Conference:

#1. PuckCentral.net (Declan G) Declan is the founder of PuckCentral.net, a top-notch New York Rangers blog. His team leads the Prince of Wales Conference at 111 points. Declan had a great draft and got off to a hot start, winning his first five weeks handily, but injuries have caused him to slip up as of late. Fortunately, he jumped on Moulson and Erat just in time to fill the voids. Losing Emery for 6 weeks will hurt, but the strength of his centers will carry him to wins in most weeks.

Key Additions: Alex Goligoski, Matt Moulson, Martin Erat

#4. InsideHockey.com (Kevin Greenstein, Alex Linsky) Kevin and Alex are co-managing a team on behalf of InsideHockey.com. Draft problems left their team a little weak at goaltender, but Alex decided to pull the trigger early and bring in Ryan Miller. It couldn't have worked out better as Miller is arguably the league's best at this point in the season. On top of that, James Neal was a great snag a few weeks into the season as he is still currently on pace to top 40 goals. If Malkin can get back to his Conn Smythe form, InsideHockey could be a very tough team to beat.

Key Additions: Lubo Visnovsky, James Neal, Dustin Penner

#5 PuckProspectus.com (Timo Seppa) Timo writes a fantasy and sabermetric column for Puck Prospectus. He started the season with three big losses in the first four weeks, which likely prompted the short leash he's held on many of his roster spots. He made a flurry of 8 moves in a 5-day period in an attempt to stop the freefall, and was very successful in doing so. His team has stayed fairly healthy thus far, yet has been a victim of a tough division. His 89 points would put him almost in second place in the Campbell Conference. His most impressive move in my mind has been adding Tuuka Rask. Prior to the season, I quietly felt Rask would end up as the Boston starter by year's end, a development which could eventually lead Timo to a championship.

Key Additions: Rich Peverley, Tyler Myers, Tuuka Rask

Campbell Conference:

#1. SaucerPass.com (Brian Schrembs) Brian is a co-founder of the website SaucerPass.com. I must say, he has put together one of the most impressive 10 weeks of fantasy hockey I have ever seen. Not only is he 18 points ahead of anyone in the entire league with 129 points, he's accomplished this by making ONE move. You're probably wondering who this single move could have been for a man so selective, right? How about a two-week add and then drop of Jamie Benn from Dallas. With a solid roster top to bottom, there's no way I can argue Schrembs isn't the favorite at the midpoint.

#3 TheHockeyWriters.com (Bruce Hollingdrake) The Hockey Writers is a collaborative effort, bringing together over 30 skilled hockey writers from across the US and Canada. Bruce represents his website in our league and unfortunately has been crushed by injuries which never seem to end. Currently he has five players on Injured Reserve and even more with minor bumps and bruises. Yet surprisingly, after losing his first six weeks, Bruce has strung together 3 wins in his past 4 weeks and has gotten himself right back into contention. It's scary to think what he could do with talented players like Gionta, Markov, and Clarkson in the lineup right now.

Key Additions: Matt Carle, JS Giguere, Alex Burrows

#5 IllegalCurve.com (Richard Pollack) Richard is the creator and editor of the website Illegal Curve. Asking him to feel sorry for Bruce and his injuries is hardly reasonable. Not only has he had countless injured players, they've been all elite offensive talents such as Kovalchuk, Savard, and Kronwall. I truly felt after the draft that Richard had one of the most talented teams in the league, and I'm sticking to my guns. When Backstrom, Backes, and Spezza awake from their early season slumbers, I think IllegalCurve makes a run to the finals.

Key Additions: Milan Lucic, David Krejci, Ondrej Pavelec

Tiger's Fatal Flaw

I hate myself for doing this but I can not resist. I’m being sucked in like a hairball to a Dyson. In about a thousand words and sixty minutes I will be, perhaps, the billionth person to share my opinion on this little news story of which you may be aware. It’s the biggest story in sports in a long time. Perhaps it is the largest story every to waltz the line between sports and celebrity but OJ might have something to say about that.

I don’t even have to introduce the story, I’ll just get right to it. Here’s thing, Tiger didn’t break a law. He broke a commandment and maybe, a Swedish heart. The fallout of the breaking news of his philandering has been incredible, I wonder if he had just admitted it, wholeheartedly from the start, would it have passed by now? Afterall, Letterman pulled it off. With Tiger’s money, you’d think he’d have better handlers. This should not have turned into the fiasco that it has. Bryon Bell, well done kid, you blew it and now you don't have a best man for your wedding.

I think Tiger made a huge mistake. I will say at the outset, I strongly feel what he did was a terrible thing, it really was. On that we can all agree. However, we may not agree fully on ever aspect of this story. Cheating (or getting caught) is not the mistake to which I was referring. I think his fatal flaw was getting married in the first place, much too early. Elin also made a mistake - she married a star pro athlete who had yet to peak.

Male pro athletes have no trouble finding partners who want to transgress with them. The bigger a star you are, the easier it is. You can transgress when you want, where you want and with whom you want. There are obviously exceptions, but, in general this is how it is, you can’t convince me otherwise.

I'll go out on a limb and say Tiger hadn’t done a whole lot of transgressing prior to meeting his wife to be. He was Urkel with nice follow through – he wasn’t Wilt Chamberlain or even Joba Chamberlain. Along came Cupid dressed in J. Lindeberg and the rest was history. I remember when this happened, Elin was the first woman romantically linked to Tiger so it was noteworthy. Emails were sent around with pictures of Tiger’s girlfriend and the world collectively gave a solid single ‘of course that’s Tiger’s girlfriend’ nod. I’m sure at this point, Tiger was very excited but knew not what was to come.

From all reports, it appears it was just months prior to his wedding day that Tiger first transgressed. Although, this seems to change daily as women come out of the woodwork telling of their exploits with the big cat. I could be wrong, but there’s a good chance that it was a little while before this that Tiger was first being put in the position to turn down offers to transgress constantly. I would also lay down some money that he did hit the reject button on many of the early offers. However, not that I can relate, but it must have begun to get difficult for him to be turning his head from so much Tiger bait. It seems that at some point he decided he was going to take a run at everything that came his way. Sad, really. Eventually, he reaches the point where he realizes that he isTiger Woods. For someone who is renowned to be the most mentally tough golfer of all time, his toughness clearly is left for golf.

At the point he gives in, he is the biggest star on the planet and still getting bigger. It was bound to happen.

With mistakes come penalties.

Tiger’s penalty when you break it all down is monetary. His image is forever tarnished. He made golf cool, which was no easy task. He got ripped, he looked good, he won everything, he reaped insane benefits. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Tiger is now going to lose a ton. Anyone who thinks he is going to make his way out of this is a few clubs short of a set. This putt is going to hang on the lip of the cup and not fall. If you’re expecting a fist pump, forget it. And once it’s gone, it won’t be easy to get back. Michael Jordan, I’m sure you’re reading this, get ready to take the throne back, even with the $170 million payment to your ex, you're back on top as the highest earning athlete of all time. Tiger’s endorsements are taking a hit from which he will not recover.

Elin’s penalty is losing Tiger and having to mend a broken heart, presumably. The interesting thing is that we’ve heard just one side of the story. I would be surprised, as would we all, if all of a sudden Elin admitted to transgressions. It would be high comedy if tmz.com starting revealing male mistresses of Elin. The point is, we only know what Tiger was doing. In any event, everyone has had a break-up, a lot of people with families and it can’t be easy. However, people bounce back and I expect in some time, maybe sooner than we think, Elin will as well. Why wouldn’t she? Not to mention, she should be sitting on a fine wad of cash. So, Elin’s penalty is bouncebackable.

So who is the big loser in all of this? It has to be Tiger, doesn't it?

I'm not defending Tiger Wood's actions by any means. I am simply saying that he made a massive error that other young athletes before him had also made. When every young athlete turns pro, advice on relations with the fairer sex should be mandatory. Rookie orientation 101 should include the following lesson "Marrying Before You Retire: Don't do it". Before you can turn pro, you have to get an A+ in this course. Tiger can be guest lecturer. If you just can't pass this course, perhaps you have to take a course in cheating. Tiger would get an F-minus in both.

In the end both Elin and Tiger are going to be fine, this much we all know. I just think Tiger has done too much damage to repair it with a Kobe.

The House Takes on the BCS

As Matt mentioned yesterday, earlier this week the U.S. House of Representatives took further action on H.R. 390, which has a goal "To prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice, the promotion, marketing, and advertising of any post-season NCAA Division I football game as a national championship game unless such game is the culmination of a fair and equitable playoff system." [Bill Text Here]

This bill was introduced in January 2009 and the action this week, 11 months later, was that the Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection subcommittee sent the bill to the full Committee on Energy and Commerce.    From there it needs to be voted out of committee and sent to the House floor.  If it passes there, the bill needs to go through the Senate and signed by President before it becomes law.  If it gets that far, the bill doesn't take effect until January 31, 2011.

The bill has a very long way to go before it becomes law - if we ever get to that point - but let's try to examine why Congress has chosen this topic as something to spend its valuable time on.  The text of the bill identifies college football as interstate commerce and therefore under the direct jurisdiction of Congress.  Given that, Congress certainly has the right to address this topic, but aren't there more pressing things for Congress to deal with? 

I've always been skeptical of Congress getting involved in sports and I don't think this is any different.  However, since our representatives have taken little action on initial hearings on other sports related inquiries (i.e. steroids), I can't imagine this bill will make it out of committee, let alone see the President's desk.  Can you imagine a debate on the House or Senate floor about the pros and cons of a college football playoff?  Neither can I.... thankfully. Let's hope Congress gets back to other issues and leaves sports alone. 

NCAA Football: Conference Championship Weekend Craziness

Well, it is a bittersweet time of year. When the NCAA football season has pretty much ended, it is the first sign of what I believe is the most depressing time of year: the off season. We must now savor the sights of Bowl Season before hanging up the shoulder pads until spring practice. But even though the end of the season is upon us, the last week or so proved to be one of the most exciting in all of 2009, filled with record-breaking performances, tearful losses, and some darn good football.
ACC
In a 39-34 loss to Georgia Tech, CJ Spiller logged over 300 all-purpose yards and setting an ACC Championship record of 234 yards rushing, with 4 TDs. With how important Spiller is to his Clemson team, and how good he is, there is definitely an argument to be made that he should have been a finalist for the Heisman. Overall it was an exciting game, lading GT a spot in the Orange Bowl.

While Clemson will be playing in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 27, Florida State seemed to have had a visit from the Bowl-Fairy, receiving an invitation to the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1. This is (obviously) due to Bobby Bowden’s request that his final game be played in the State of Florida, against the team he started his major college football career with back in 1965 as an assistant, and took over the Head Coaching position in 1970. Wise decision, seeing as the Gator Bowl sold out within 2 hours of the announcement on Sunday night.

Big XII
A heart breaker if you’re a ‘Husker, a miracle if you’re a ‘Horn. Nebraska almost did what many thought would be impossible, but almost only counts in horseshoes. Colt McCoy played the cool-cowboy this weekend, as he got his team in place for a game-winning field goal with only 1 second remaining, and without a sense of urgency. Nebraska thought they had the game, the conference, and a BCS bid in hand, but McCoy casually shot that down with a floater-pass out of bounds, stopping the clock with just enough time for Hunter Lawrence to get the job done. And even though McCoy had a terrible performance throwing for only 184 yards and 3 INTs, he is one of the 5 players invited to NY for the Heisman presentation, and will be playing in the BCS Championship game. One-man wrecking-crew Ndamukong Suh logged 12 tackles and 4 sacks for Nebraska in the loss, but will join Colt McCoy in NY as a Heisman finalist.

PAC-10
LaMichael James ran for 166yds and three scores in a 37-33 Oregon victory over Oregon State for the PAC-10 title. LaGarrette Blount made his return to the field after sitting out for the now-infamous sucker-punching of Boise State LB Byron Hout in the season opener. But that’s not even the big news from the PAC-10 this weekend.

In one shocker, Washington destroyed No. 19 Cal 42-10. QB Jake Locker accounted for 5 TDs for the Huskies, as the Cal continued to miss stud-RB Jahvid Best. Washington had nothing to play for but pride, seeing as they will not be bowling this year. Cal will be playing Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23.

Possibly the biggest news is Arizona’s upset of USC 21-17, as the Wildcats ended 2009 second in the conference, received their second consecutive bowl invitation, and recorded their best regular-season record in a decade. On the other end of the spectrum, USC had their worst season since Pete Carroll took the helm, and their first non-BCS bowl in 7 years.

SEC
Nothing big happened in the SEC this weekend. Other than No. 2 Alabama beating No. 1 Florida for the SEC Championship and a berth in the BCS Championship against Texas. Tim Tebow (literally) cried as Mark Ingram made his final argument for why he should win the Heisman, rushing for 113yds and 3TDs. Greg McElroy showed that he had a little Tim Tebow inside of him, as he went 12 of 18 for 239yds and a TD against the No. 1 defense in the nation. But along with his offensive productivity, McElroy showed that he had the leadership (and blocking skills) and other intangibles for him to ensure a trip to the National Championship, and was later rewarded with the SEC Championship MVP. But most impressive, was the Alabama rushing crew ended with a total of 251 rushing yards against the UF defense, most rushing yards allowed since Urban Meyer showed up in Gainesville.

As a consolation, UF will play in the Sugar Bowl against a (likely) coach-less Cincinnatti, seeing as Brian Kelly (who has enough of an Irish-sounding name to be head coach in South Bend) met with Notre Dame officials this past Tuesday. And after being named a finalist for the Heisman for the third time, Tim Tebow will be up against Mark Ingram one more time, but this time for a spot in the record books.

2 Minute Drill
Here are a few blurbs about how this week was crazy in other ways…..

-Regular season officially ends this weekend with Army v. Navy.

-No. 21 Houston defeated by Eastern Carolina for the Conference USA Title. Case Keenum went 56 of 75 for 527yds and 5TDs (43 total in ’09), but also threw 3INTs (9 total in 2009).

-Tennessee allegedly sending hot girls to high school football games to recruit players. Seems like an effective strategy, albeit against the NCAA rules.

-Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate, two of the best in the nation at their respective positions will enter NFL Draft.

-Congress closing in on NCAA Playoff: House of Representatives subcommittee within the Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation that would make it illegal to promote any NCAA football game as the ‘National Championship’ unless it is following a single-elimination tournament.

[Editor's Note: Rob Burckhard will discuss this topic in further detail at 5pm today.]